Cold weather insulation garment and fabric



June 23,:1953' 'w. L. BROWN 2,642,571

COLD WEATHER INSULATION GARMENT -AND FABRIC Fil ed May 31, 1951 a a 4 s1 a nnuuuv uuuvu 6 0 0 b 0 noun! I mix amok a wall'erLBrown ATTORNEYPatented June 23, 1953 I OFFICE.

COLD WEATHER INSULATION GARMENT AND FABRIC Walter L; Brown, Lansdowne,Pa.

Application May 31, 1951, Serial N 0. 229,243

10 Claims. (01. 2-97) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

' sec. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to cold weather insulation garments and coldweather insulation fab- IlCS. l i

It is recognized that the effectiveness of a cold weather insulationfabric and a garment made therefrom is caused by dead air space. Felt,wool, cloth and similar bodiesare characterized by structure whichprovides dead airspace within itself and, in the case of a garmentliner, furthen provides dead air space bounded by the outer clothing andby the body or inner clothing. However, to be effective as in severecold, such conventional lining fabrics must eithe bemade of suchthickness, or used in a substantial number of superimposed layers, as toconstitute a source of discomfort and hindrance to the wearer due totheir weight and bulkiness.

An approach taken by the Armed Forces during World War II to thesolution of coldrweather clothing problem was the adoption of liners ofpile fabric, of wool material, having long cut pile threads. Garmentsequipped with such liners have good thermal insulationproperties, butthe pile has a tendency to mat, especially after being washed, whichgreatly lessens its effectiveness.

The present invention overcomes these and other shortcomings heretoforefaced by the art, through the provision of a cold weather insulationfabric, and of garments and other articles made therefrom, andessentially consisting of flexible textile warp andfilling backing,which carries resilient uncut face loop warps and resilient uncut backloop warps interwoven therewith, the face loop warps and back 100p:warps being of substantial stiffness and not spontaneously collapsible.I

Thus, it is a principal object of my invention'to.

provide a lightweight and durable cold-weather insulation garment, whichprovides a'high degree of thermal insulation throughdead air pockets' Afurther object of my invention is an insulatile materials, and which maybe manufactured on commercial conventional looms.

A more specific object of my invention is a cold weather insulationfabric (and garments made therefrom) having a fairly loosely wovencotton backing, and uncut erect rows of face loops and back loops ofresilient textile material such as may be worn as a liner for as aseparate layer;

Figure 3 is aperspective view of a cold weather insulation fabricinaccordance with my invention;

Figure 4 is. a schematic sectional view, taken along lines 4+4 on Figl3;

Figure 5 is an example of a weaving plan of a cold weather insulationfabric as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; f

Figures 6 and Tare alternate weaving plans for cold weather insulationfabrics in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 8 is a schematic edge view of a two-layer cold weather insulationfabric, having a wind resistant outer fabric layer and an insulationlining; and

Figure 9'is a schematic view of a three-layer cold weather insulationfabric, having a wind resistant outer fabric layer, insulation lining,and

a bottom fabric layer. P

More particularly, in Figure 1 of the drawings, reference numeral M]denotes an outer garment in jacket form, which is preferably of windresistant and water repellent cotton, wool, or other textile material.The cold weather insulation fabric in accordance with the presentinvention .(which willbe described in greater detail below) forms anintermediate layer at ll, whichmay be stitched to the outer layer In, orbuttoned, snapfastened, slide-fastened, or otherwise connected theretoin a manner well known to the art; the lining fabric may also extendinto the sleeves, as shown at H. A lower layer 12 of conventionaltextile material and weave construction, e. g. of cotton or rayonconfines the intermediate insulation layer l I. The multiplicity of deadair pockets formed by the stiff loops of insulation fabric ll betweentop layer 10 and bottom layer l2 provide a high degree of thermalinsulation;

without impairing the flexibility of the garment. Bottom layer I2 may beomitted; in such a case, the shirt of the wearer serves as the lowerboundary for the dead air pockets. It will be understood, of course,that trousers, gloves, one-piece suits, and other garments may beconstructed in the same general manner as the jacket illustrated in Fig.1.

Instead of a multi-layer garment, as shown in Fig. 1, an item of coldweather insulation underclothing can be made separately, such as thevest-like garment shown in Fig. 2. This imdergarment consistssubstantially in its entirety of the cold weather insulation fabric ll",about to be described in detail, with resilient loops extending inwardlyand outwardly. In use, an undergarment is placed over the shirt and'under the outer jacket, and provides dead air space insulation inaccordance with the principle above set forth.

A typical cold weather insulation fabric in accordance with'the presentinvention is shown in Fig. 3. A flexible textile backing 13 may consistof cotton. 7 Uncut resilient pile loops M are arranged in rows on theface of the backing, and uncut resilient pile loops I are arranged insimilar rows at the back of the backing. The uncut pile loops of frontand back are made of textile material having greater stiffness thancotton, e. g. of mohair spun wool yarn (e. g. worsted), or a blend ofmohair and wool (e. g. 50 :50) Synthetic monoor multi-filaments may besubstituted for the mohair and/or wool, as for instance crimp-set nylon,described in U. S. Patent No. 2,157,117, Miles. It will thus beunderstood that the selection of a suitable material for the uncut pileloops maybe made from a variety of textile materials, as long as theresulting loops have the desired resiliency and capacity of stayingerect, so as to form the desired dead air'pockets. Similarly, otherflexible textile materials, may be substituted for the cotton materialof textile backing I3; however, I prefer cotton for its relative'cheapness and strength.

The following data for a typical cold weather insulation fabric inaccordance with the present invention are given by way of example, withthe clear understanding that such data are merely by way of illustrationand are not intended in any way, to limit the scope of the invention:

Weight of cloth: 16 oz. per square yard.

Ground warp: 36 threads per inch, two-ply cot ton yarn.

Ground filling: 60 threads per inch, two-ply cotton yarn- Pile warp(face): 9 threads per inch; two-ply yarn mohair, wool, or syntheticmaterial. ,Pile warp (back) 9 threads per inch; two-ply yarn mohair,wool, or synthetic material. Face loops: 135 loops per squaae inch; loopheight Back loops: 135 loops per square inch; loop at.

It is, of course, essential that the face and back loop threads befirmly anchored to the textile backing. A'Wpile weave, a constructionwell known to makers of pile fabrics, is well suited to accomplish this.In a typical W pile weave, the loops are interwoven with the ground,each pile loop being, for instance, under one, over two, and under onepick in a W weave construction. As shown in Fig. 3, the rows of faceloops and back loops alternate; however, the pile warp ends may beinterwoven with the textile backing in such a manner that the same pilewarp alternately extends above and below the backing fabric, therebyforming a series of uncut loops above and below the backing.

The diagrammatic showing of Fig. 4 illustrates, in greatly exaggeratedform, the way in which the face and back pile loops are interwoven withthe textile backing, so as to afford a fabric construction in accordancewith the principle of the present invention. Cotton ground warp threadsand i1 and cotton ground filling threads l8, form a plain weave,constituting the .woven with ground filling threads I8, so as to form aface loop extending upwardly from the textile backing between every fourground filling threads. Similarly, pile warp thread 20, which is of thesame materialas 1'9, is interwoven with ground filling threads 18, so asto form a back loop extending downwardly from the-textilebackingbetweenevery four ground filling threads,-and in staggeredrelation to the face loops formed by pile warp thread [9. warp thread +9and back pile 'Warpthread-Z-D are spaced from each other by-=the groundwarp threads. Temporary pile threads 21, 2-2 '(shown in dotted lines),which are inserted in'the-loom for the formation of the face and backpile loops in a, manner well known to the art, are withdrawn in thecourse of the manufacture of the fabric. The configuration of the pileloops which in the idealized showing of Fig. 4 resembles a U, is inactual fact spiraled due to the resiliency of the loop-forming textilematerial, with the legs of the loops forming an angle, as shown in Fig."3. Similarly, the spacings between back filling threads l8 are notdrawn to scale in Fig. 4, but vary in accordance with the internalstress exerted by the resilient material of the loops.

The weaving plan of Figf'fi constitutes a typical example of aninsulation pile fabric woven on a loom without the use of wires.Verticalrow [-6 denotes the filling picks; picks l and 4 being temporarythreads which are removed off the loom. Horizontal row l-8 denotesthewarp ends, which are further designated G for the ground ends, FF forthe face pile end,-and BPjfo-r the back pile end.

The alternate weaving plan of Fig. 6 is likewise adapted for looms otherthan wire looms. Picks I and '2 are temporary, and are removed from thecloth off the m to form the pile threads.

The weaving plan'of Fig. -7 is-adapted for wire looms. A full repeat ofthe weave includes four groundends and two pile ends in the warpgandfour picks in the filling. The insertion and withdrawal of the-pilewires is a manipulation well known to the pile fabric trade and needs nofurther illustration or description.

While a principal use of insulation fabric, in

accordance with the present invention, is in the manufacture of coldweather garments, it may also be put to other uses in the art ofinsulation, e. g. as a tent liner for atent having an outer and innerply of'canvas, or'nylon, or simi- Ground warp face'pile lar material;Thesdea d; air: space.- formed by the upstanding loops of the insulationfabric ll between the top layer Ill and bottom'layer l2 (see Fig. 9)serves as a highly efiicient insulatio'n medium. The liner may also beconstructed from a layer of insulation fabric, H and a layer ofconventional wind resistant fabric=23, in the two-ply constructiondiagrammatically il lustrated in Fig. 8." Such: a liner can 'be'attached to the inside or. outside of a tent or other shelter,insulation fabric ll occupying an intermediate position forthe provisionof-dead air-space thermal-insulation; f 3 7 'For camoufiage in items of-military-'use, and for decorative effect in other items, the pilethreads i9 which constitute the face loops may be of one color, e. g.white, and the pile threads which constitute the back loops, may be ofanother color, e. g. olive drab. Other color comtural system which ispliable in two dimensions but resistant to compression in the third(thickness) dimension; the arched configuration of the loops enhancesthe compression resistance of the loops. A garment in which theinsulation fabric is incorporated is drapable and washable.

It is evident that departures and variations in details may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore desireto en-'v ur f a h ma body. q r i n. and pile warps interwoven with saidbacking, ,sald pile'warps being of; resilient textile materialpfsubstantially,greatenstiifness than said backing andformingerect-individual face loops and back loopshighly resistant tocompression each of said individual face loops beings'paced from any ofthe other face loops immediately abovathe surface of said backing andeach of said. individual back loops being spaced from anypf the otherback loops "immediately below thesurface of said backing, whereby aplurality of insulating dead air pockets is formed beneath the outerclothing.

4. A cold weather insulating lining fabric comprising a flexible textilebacking and pile warps interwoven with said backing, said pile warpsbeing of resilient textile material of substantially greater stiffnessthan saidbacking and forming erect individual face loops and back loopshighly resistant to compression, each of said individual face loopsbeing spaced from any of the other face loops immediately above thesurface of said backing and each of said individual back loops beingspaced from any of the other back loops immediately below the surface ofsaid backing,

whereby a plurality of insulating dead air pockets is placed bewarps aremohair.

compass such variations within the scope of my invention, as defined bythe appended claims.-

material of substantially greater stiffness than said backing andforming erect individual face loops and back loops highly resistant tocompression, each of said individual face loops being spaced from any ofthe other face loops immediately above the surface of said backing andeach of said individual back loops being spaced from any of the otherback loops immediately below the surface of said backing, whereby aplurality of insulating dead'air pockets is formed beneath said outerfabric layer.

2. A cold weather garment comprising an outer fabric layer conforming tothe shape of a body or'body member and an insulation liner comprising aflexible textile backing and pile warps interwoven with said backing,said pile warps being of resilient textile material of substantiallygreater stiffness than said backing and forming erect individual faceloops and back loops highly resistant to compression, each of saidindividual face loops being spaced from any of the other face loopsimmediately above the surface of said backing and each of saidindividual back loops being spaced from any of the other back loopsimmediately below the surface of said backing, whereby a plurality ofinsulating dead air pockets is formed beneath said outer fabric layer.

3. Cold weather insulation underclothing comprising a flexible textilebacking of the config- 6. A fabric according to claim 4, wherein saidtextile backing is cotton and wherein said pile warps are spun woolyarn.

7. A cold weather insulation lining fabric comprising a flexible textilebacking and erect individual face loop warps and back loop warpsinterwoven with said backing, said face and back loop warps being ofresilient textile material of q and'each of the back loops formed bysaid back loop warps being spaced from any of the other back loopsimmediately below thesurface of said backing, whereby a plurality ofinsulating dead air pockets is formed when said lining fabric is placedbeneath an outer fabric layer.

8. A fabric according to claim 7, wherein said back p warps are of acolor contrasting with the color of the face loop warps.

9. A cold weather fabric comprising an outer fabric layer and aninsulation layer comprising a flexible textile backing and pile warpsinterwoven with said backing, said pile warps being of resilient textilematerial of substantially greater stiffness than said backing andforming erect individual face loops and back loops highly resistant tocompression, each of said individual' face loops being spaced from anyof the other face loops immediately above the surface of said backingand each of said individual back loops being spaced from any of theother back loops immediately below the surface of said backing, wherebya plurality of insulating dead air pockets is formed beneath said outerfabric layer.

10. A cold weather fabric comprising a top fabric layer, a bottom fabriclayer and an insulation layer comprising a flexible textile backing andpile warps interwoven with said backing, said pile warps being ofresilient textile material of substantially greater stiffness than saidbacking 1 and forming erect"; individuaf face Ioops ax-1& book loops'high-iy resistantto compression; each of saidindividual face loopsbeing spaced from any of the other face loops immedia-fieIy above thesurface of said backing" and each of said indivfdual back loops beingspa-cedfrom amy of the other back loops immediately below the surface ofsaid backing, whereby a rfiurailitfry of insulafiing dead air pockets isformed between said top fayer and Bottom layer. WALTERL; BROWN.

' References 0mm m the e bf tni sq atenfi UNITED STATES PATENTS" Number-Number Date I 'Glendir ming et a1. July 29; 194E! FOREIGN PATENTSCountry Date Germany: Dec. 27,1901

7 France Jul-y 30, 1915

